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CC- ACTION ITEM: Discussion and Direction Regarding Culver City Tourism Brand Logo and Tagline.
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Meeting Date: January 26, 2026
Contact Person/Dept: Elaine Warner/Economic Development Director
Phone Number: (310) 253-5708
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (1/22/2026)
Department Approval: Odis Jones, City Manager (01/21/2026)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss a Culver City tourism brand logo and tagline and provide direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
In January 2025, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the creation of tourism brand and tagline focused on attracting visitors, increasing tourism and positioning the City in the region in anticipation of upcoming national and international sporting events. The scope of work included stakeholder engagement, brand analysis and architecture and logo/tagline creation. Five firms responded to the RFP. In April 2025 MMGY was selected based on their innovative approach, and global experience.
In July 2025, MMGY conducted five in-person stakeholder meetings to understand Culver City’s existing position and perceptions and thereafter develop a brand architecture that would provide for a foundation of the community’s tourism campaign (Attachment 1).
Brand Architecture
The brand architecture is an internal-facing structure that reflects the City’s current strengths, weakness, challenges and opportunities and serves as a guide to the City’s essence, values and voice.
In September 2025, the results from the public stakeholder meetings/listening sessions were presented to the Economic Development Subcommittee (Subcommittee). The feedback centered on six points of consensus.
As summarized, Culver City is:
• The Heart to LA’s Hustle: “…in the middle of it all but a world away”
• The Quintessential Front Porch: “…It’s a community that welcomes you in.”
• The Vital Third Space: “There’s an energy here that makes people want to linger”
• The Place Where Small is a Big Deal: “…Culver City encapsulates the best of what California is.”
• Uncredited, yet Unforgettable: “We’ve got the Heart of Screenland right here, but we’re not shouting it from the rooftops the way we could.”
• More than One Storyline: “There’s this rich food culture, there’s nightlife, there’s community. If we lead with only movies, we miss telling the rest of the story.
The brand architecture and analysis found that Culver City’s values are inclusive, creative, proud, connected, and accessible, while its voice is friendly, creative, authentic, approachable, and confident.
In considering community/stakeholder feedback, the work led to the creation of Culver City’s tourism brand essence, “The Heart of What is Real.” While the brand architecture is a long-term, evergreen foundation that stays true over time (brand essence) the creative campaign borne from it remains flexible and dynamic that can shift with culture, trends and moments.
Per Subcommittee approval of the brand essence, MMGY then began the development of a tourism logo and tagline. During the process, a series of four logos were presented to staff of the City Manager’s office for initial feedback. Based on the taglines presented, staff requested to see one tagline positioned with potential logos to ensure cohesive and complimentary messaging.
DISCUSSION
In January 2026, three refined logos and tagline were presented to the Subcommittee for feedback as well as the concept of utilizing “explore” Culver City as the call to action. The logos incorporate custom typography and were developed for placement with other iconographic elements relative to promotional assets and marketing. The Subcommittee recommended two options for further consideration by the full City Council.
Logo/Brand Representation
Direction 1 - Timeless and Sophisticated
Direction 1 reflects the City’s historical elements as a timeless, classic, and quietly sophisticated brand. The Logo incorporates a prominent “C” in both A and B as well as art deco typography. In A, the “C” is a set of curved C’s punctuated with a center mark.
In B, the “C” is more prominent and open, allowing options for additional iconography (heart, camera, etc.) which could be incorporated into the center to provide for a more specialized treatment. Positioning of the logo on banners, posters and merchandise could include a marquee-inspired framing and ticket iconography.
Direction 2 - Elegant yet Vintage
Direction 2 typography reflects an understated elegance and refined vintage approach using the City’s architectural elements as its inspiration. The Logo incorporates an arched “Culver” reflected in a clean, prominent font coupled with an underlying classic script. The logo could be positioned on iconography such as Culver City’s jacaranda trees or incorporate other elements such as rainbows, hearts, etc.
Color Palette
The proposed color palette includes green, blue, purples, yellow and orange variations inspired by the colors of Culver City’s natural elements including jacaranda trees, neighborhoods walkways, and adjoining hillside as well as other architectural elements of historic/cultural buildings.
Tagline Development
Based on the City’s brand essence, values, promise, experience and voice (brand architecture), four taglines were developed for consideration. For all four taglines, MMGY assessed them using Trailblazer, its proprietary competitive analysis tool to scan, compare, and score originality.
• Concept 1 - SoCulver
This tagline highlights Culver City’s ability to offer the best of the SoCal lifestyle with creative culture, art and dining, but reflects the community’s grounded and authentic appeal. This tagline is considered to possess "category-defining originality” with an originality score of 92.
• Concept 2 - Simply Cinematic
This tagline harkens to the City’s roots in the film industry, reflecting an experience of Culver City where things feel framed “just right.” This tagline was considered to possess only “strong originality” with an originality score of 78.
• Concept 3 - Almost Perfect. Perfectly Real
This tagline reflects Culver City’s unique combination of food, art, film and “postcard” aesthetics aligned with a neighborhood/community sensibility. This tagline is considered to possess "distinctive originality” with an originality score of 86.
• Concept 4 - As Seen in Real Life
This tagline reinforces the City’s values where creatives, locals and families share space “effortlessly” and ambition is balanced with grounded living. This tagline is considered to possess "distinctive originality” with an originality score of 84.
Once a brand and tagline are selected, a style guide will be created for the City to provide standards and recommendations for future use and positioning.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no direct fiscal impact related the consideration of these proposed brand and taglines, however, future development of the brand assets in the form of banners, merchandise and external marketing/advertising will require additional funding per Council direction.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-01-26_ATT_Brand Architecture and Proposed Logo and Taglines
recommended action
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Discuss a Visit Culver City Tourism Brand and Tagline; and,
2. Provide direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.